


Long Day

by lovekernel



Category: Casualty (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 08:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15553269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovekernel/pseuds/lovekernel
Summary: Elle comforts Alicia after a rough day





	Long Day

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous on Tumblr requested this! Thanks for reading!

After asking Connie to go for a drink and being stiffly denied with the excuse of paperwork, Elle went to find someone else she could blow off some steam with at the end of what felt like a very long day. Through the window of the staff room Elle saw a blonde head stuck inside a locker and made a beeline for the door.

“Hey Alicia!” she called, popping her head around the doorframe. “Want to go for a drink with me?”

“Not tonight, Elle, sorry,” Alicia said without looking around.

Elle threw her head back dramatically and groaned.

“Come on! We could do with a catch up! It’s been ages since we’ve talked.”

“Sorry, I’m just not in the mood tonight.”

“Bad day?” Elle asked, walking in. She went around to the counter and leaned against it, resting her elbows on the surface and her head in her hands.

“Long day,” Alicia replied, still looking into her locker and slowly packing her bag.

“Me too! You know what, you can tell me about it over a drink!” Elle said.

Alicia finally turned her head to Elle. “Look, I just really don’t feel like it tonight. Raincheck, okay?”

Elle was taken aback by Alicia’s face when she looked at her. She looked exhausted with dark circles under half-closed eyes, and her mouth drawn down into a tired frown.

“You okay?” Elle asked, losing her pep from moments before and replacing it with concern.

Alicia shrugged and looked back quickly to her locker. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You look tired. Is everything alright? You getting enough sleep?”

“Yes, everything’s good.” Alicia glanced at Elle again and almost smiled before looking away again.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I am.”

“You look exhausted, Alicia.”

“Just a touch of insomnia, that’s all.”

“Any idea what’s causing it? Is anything worryin-”

“I’m fine, Elle,” Alicia interrupted.

Elle closed her mouth and said nothing else, hoping that Alicia would explain herself.

“Sorry! I just…” Alicia started, scratching her forehead. “...I’m fine, okay? Yeah, I’m definitely not getting enough sleep but it will pass. And yes, I’m a bit grumpy because of annoying patients who won’t do what they’re told, not telling me all the facts, you know, the usual.” She dropped a water bottle onto the base of her locker with a loud thud.

Elle thought about the few times she had seen Alicia recently. They had been working different shifts the last few weeks, Elle meant it when she said they hadn't spoken in a while. Alicia had been looking tired, she had been quieter, and Elle heard from Robyn and Louise that Alicia had been getting annoyed over little things and was becoming tough to work with. Elle remembered Alicia snapping at Bea a few days before for taking too long with a patient. All examples of Alicia acting the total opposite of how she usually did, it just took seeing Alicia up close to make Elle to put all the pieces together and notice there was something wrong besides the everyday stress of the ED.

“It just- it seems like it’s more than the usual,” Elle said gently. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”

“There’s no reason why I wouldn’t be,” Alicia said firmly, closing her bag. She slammed her locker closed.

Elle resigned herself to leaving it there. Alicia obviously didn’t want to talk, as much as Elle was dying to know what was going on, forcing her probably wouldn’t yield great results.

“Alicia, if you ever want to talk- about anything, I’m here. I’m here for you.”

Alicia looked irritated. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it again, then she sighed. “Thanks, Elle,” she said after a moment.

“Anytime,” Elle said, and meant it.

Alicia nodded and turned to leave, but Elle touched her arm and stopped her in her tracks. “Hang on a second,” she said. Alicia turned around and Elle approached to hug her tightly. Alicia stiffened up at first, but Elle held on and after a few seconds Alicia relaxed, her shoulders dropping, and she returned the embrace.

They stepped back and Elle was glad to see Alicia smile. It wasn’t particularly big or bright but it was a contrast to the frown she held before.

“You looked like you needed that,” Elle said, holding Alicia by her arms.

Alicia chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You act like such a mum sometimes.”

“Well I can’t help my instincts,” Elle said, letting go of Alicia as she pulled her bag over her shoulder. “Get some sleep! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah, see you tomorrow, Elle.”

Elle watched her go out the door, glad that she left her happier than when she found her, and she decided to keep a closer eye on Alicia and make sure to be there when she did want to talk.

After checking that she had everything in her bag, Elle left the staff room and ran right into Connie, who had her jacket and her handbag on her arm, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Connie!” Elle said excitedly.

Connie’s expression fell to one of defeat. “Elle. Hi.”

“You finished your work!” She slipped her arm around Connie’s and steered her reluctantly towards the door. “Let’s go get that drink!”


End file.
